Uloga kompleksa germanija s L-cysteinom i α-tokoferolom kao stimulatora antioksidativnog obrambenog sustava štakora izloženih gama-zračenju

This study was conducted to evaluate the potency of the newly prepared germanium L-cysteine α-tocopherol complex [germanium dichloro tetrakis (L-cysteinyl-α-tocopherol amide) dichloride] as a protective agent against γ-irradiation-induced free radicals production and liver toxicity. Male Swiss albino rats were injected intraperitoneally with the germanium complex in a concentration of 75 mg kg-1 body mass per dose, for 6 successive doses, last dose administered twenty minutes pre-exposure to a single dose of whole body γ-irradiation of 6.5 Gy. Lipid peroxidation (LPx), nitric oxide (NO), glutathione (GSH) levels, and activity of the antioxidant enzymes glutathione peroxidase (GPx), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and catalase (CAT) were estimated in blood and liver, and blood total protein, cholesterol, triglyceride and α-tocopherol content were estimated as well. The results revealed that administration of germanium complex pre-irradiation resulted in significant (p < 0.001) improvement compared to the irradiated group in the level of hepatic and blood LPx. Hepatic GSH revealed a significant increase (p < 0.001), while its level showed no significant variation in blood. Also, the level of NO in blood and liver increased significantly (p < 0.001). On the other hand, pretreatment with the germanium complex normalized the activities of SOD, GPx and CAT in blood and liver when compared to the irradiated group. The study also documents a marked decrease in the blood triglyceride and cholesterol (p < 0.001); and significant increase (p < 0.001) of -tocopherol and total protein contents in blood. These biochemical changes were associated with marked improvement of histological status. Therefore, the germanium L-cysteine α-tocopherol complex may be a good candidate for ameliorating the changes induced by irradiation, which indicates the beneficial radio-protective role of this antioxidant agent.U radu je procjenjivan kompleks germanija s L-cisteinom i α-tokoferolom [germanijev diklortetrakis (L-cisteinil-α-tokoferol amid) diklorid] kao zaštitno sredstvo protiv slobodnih radikala induciranih γ-zračenjem hepatotoksičnosti. Mužjacima švicarskih albino štakora davan je intraperitonealno kompleks germanija, u 6 sukcesivnih doza po 75 mg kg-1 tjelesne mase, posljednja doza dana je dvadeset minuta prije izlaganja cijelog organizma jednokratnoj dozi γ-ozračivanja od 6,5 Gy. U krvi i jetri praćena je razina lipidne peroksidacije (LPx), dušikovog(II) oksida (NO), glutationa (GSH), aktivnost antioksidativnih enzima glutation peroksidaze (GPx), superoksid dismutaze (SOD) i katalaze (CAT), te količina ukupnih proteina u krvi, kolesterola, triglicerida i α-tokoferola. Rezultati su pokazali da je primjena germanijevog kompleksa značajno (p < 0,001) poboljšala koncentraciju jetrenih i krvnih LPx. Koncentracija GSH u jetri je značajno porasla (p < 0,001), dok se njegova razina u krvi nije značajno promijenila. Koncentracija NO u krvi i jetri značajno se smanjila (p < 0,001). S druge strane, prethodna obrada s kompleksom germanija normalizirala je aktivnost SOD, GPx i CAT u krvi i jetri u odnosu na ozračenu skupinu. Istraživanja su također pokazala značajno smanjenje triglicerida i kolesterola (p < 0,001) i značajno povećanje (p < 0,001) alfa-tokoferola i ukupnih proteina u krvi. Te biokemijske promjene su povezane s izraženim poboljšanjem histoloških promjena u odnosu na ozračenu skupinu. Opisani kompleks germanija mogao bi se kao antioksidativno sredstvo potencijalno upotrijebiti za spriječavanje promjena uzrokovanih zračenjem

Role of diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging in the differentiation of benign and malignant pulmonary lesions

Purpose: To evaluate the role of magnetic resonance (MRI) diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) and apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) measurement of solid and cystic pulmonary masses in differentiating benign from malignant lesions. Material and methods: The study included 41 patients with pulmonary masses, who underwent conventional MRI and DWI (b value 0, 500, and 1000 s/mm²) examinations with 1.5-T MRI. The diffusion signal and the mean ADC values of the solid and cystic lesions were obtained. Statistical analyses were performed with the Mann-Whitney U test (z), Pearson's chi-square test, and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis. Results: Thirty-three lesions were malignant, and eight lesions were benign. The malignant masses showed significantly higher signal intensity on DWI than benign masses (p = 0.006), and the mean ADC value of malignant solid lesions was significantly lower than that of benign lesions (p = 0.02). By ROC analysis, an ADC cut-off value of 1.4 × 10-3 mm2/s was considered the threshold value, and the sensitivity and specificity were 93.8% and 75%, respectively. There was no significant difference between the ADC value of the cystic parts inside the benign and the malignant lesions. Conclusions: Diffusion-weighted MRI and measurement of ADC value can significantly differentiate between solid benign and malignant pulmonary masses

A Study of the Expression of Aflatoxin B1 Regulatory Gene in Clinical and Environmental Aspergillus flavus using Real-time PCR

This recent study investigated the differences in the expression of Aflatoxin B1 regulatory gene among clinical and environmental (Aspergillus flavus) isolates. Samples were subjected to RNA isolation, cDNA synthesis and PCR amplification. Electrophoresis demonstrated clean bands 798 bp upon amplification with aflR1 primers. The ability of A. flavus confirmed the presence of the aflR2 gene in product size 400 bp in all the studied isolates with a different gene expression (Sentence not clear. Rephrase). There was a direct correlation between the aflr gene expression and the isolates source. The source of isolates significantly influenced the aflr gene expression. It appeared that the aflr gene expression increased at the A. flavus isolated from patients with aspergillosis with a gradual gene expression in A. flavus isolated from grains of Zea mays (maize) and with no clear expression in the A. flavus isolated from rice grain. These results indicate a suitable molecular method for detecting and controlling the spread of A. flavus in the grainer and in hospitals to avoid infection

Enteric Protozoal infections in Camels: Etiology, Epidemiology, and Future perspectives

Camels have great potential as a safety valve for current and future food security for pastoralists, agropastoralists, and urban populations. Enteric protozoal diseases are important causes of economic losses in camels; however, they are poorly concerned globally. The most common members of enteric protozoa are Balantidium, Eimeria, Giardia, and Cryptosporidium. Some of them threaten human health as humans can be infected by consuming food or water contaminated with camel feces, particularly in poor communities with inadequate sanitation and low-quality healthcare facilities. For these reasons, a comprehensive and careful investigation was conducted on some enteric protozoal diseases of camels to present an updated insight into the etiology, epidemiology, and future trends in diagnosing and controlling camel enteric protozoa. Future studies on the camel enteric protozoa should be carried out to develop advanced diagnostic approaches in diverse farm animal species. Moreover, the protozoan zoonotic potential should be considered to secure human healt